Painting...Painting...and More Painting!!!

I've become entirely infatuated with creating miniature paintings. It seems I can't go a day without sitting down at my table easel, sketching a design or two on tiny 2.5" by 3.5" cards, and brushing in the color with my watercolors. It's a fun challenge to come up with new ideas for my paintings, but most of my inspiration comes from the natural beauty surrounding us here in our mountain cabin in the woods. Over the weekend, Kevin found a gorgeous cecropia moth that had met it's match in the early morn with some sort of predator - most likely a bird that just couldn't quite keep a hold of it. The poor thing's wings were badly tattered and it was definitely on its last legs. Such a beautiful creature and how sad it met its demise, but it inspired me to paint it in all its glory of better days. Cecropia moths are the largest moths in North America with a wingspan that can reach up to almost 6 inches across.

Bronze Beauty

After dinner this evening, I went out to refill the hummingbird feeder that's situated by the goldfish pond. Sitting right next to me, sunning atop a rock at the water's edge, was a very lovely frog. Her skin was glistening like gold! I'd never seen such a metallic colored frog glittering in the sunshine like she was.

The camera was retrieved, and there she still sat all aglow. I took several shots without the flash so as not to disturb the glowing beauty. As I switched the camera settings for a final land shot, I forgot to turn the flash off and my photographic subject took a dive...sploching into the pond. But...she still was game for a longer photo shoot, coyly poking her head above the surface and gazing up with shining eyes.

Even though this last photograph is a little blurry, it's my favorite, as it is a full face smile :)

After consulting our reptile and amphibian field guide, I found our "golden frog" was really a bronze frog, a color variation of the common green frog. Ordinarily, this color morph in the species is not found so far north, instead ranging in more southern latitudes from North Carolina on down to Florida, but, as my wise husband commented, "Global warming is changing the map for everything!" Perhaps it is indeed the reason for the presence of this small wonder...but I guess it is may be one of the few perks of climate change to have such a gorgeous summertime visitor.

Summertime!

Veggie Garden

Well, here it is, almost officially summer! Tomorrow marks the summer solstice. My vegetable garden is doing well this year ~ the rows of green and yellow bush beans interspersed with nasturtium flowers ( good bug repellent!) look lush and healthy and the back row of pepper plants are coming along just fine, too. We're looking forward to the bounty of fresh vegetables later in the season.

View of the Patio with Herb Boxes

The lavender, oregano, and thyme planted last year, all perennials, came back very nicely and filled out the herb boxes. I added new rosemary and basil plants...two other herbs we use a lot in cooking. Kevin makes some delicious Asian dishes that call for basil. It's always a favorite night for me when he cooks up his specialties!

The pink coral bell flowers continue to attract hummingbirds, although they have just about finished blooming. The hungry little hummers have also been very busy feasting at the sugar water feeder. We love to lay out in the hammock and watch them as they whiz by and alight on the feeder to sip the sweet juice, their tiny, needle sharp bills rapidly dipping in and out. They don't seem to mind our presence, as long as we stay very still.

Kevin removed this patio visitor to a safer place in the woods. He was sitting directly under the air conditioning unit, which had been dripping and making a nice, cool spot for a toad to take a break from it all :)

Last, but not least, my daisies are starting to open ~ such a bright, happy flower with their cheery bright yellow centers. Always have been a favorite of mine...and always reminds me of summer. HAPPY SUMMERTIME!!!